After dinner
by ladypolanna
Summary: While Shang is at the Fa residence, it is revealed that Mulan is in high demand as a potential wife. Can Shang convince her parents to make the match with him?
1. The dinner

**Disclaimer** - All characters belong to Disney except those that did not appear in the movies._  
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_**Author's note:** _In my timeline I have Shang arriving a few days after Mulan comes home, during which time Mulan has had some conversations with her parents etc. the substance of which will be revealed later. Also, I know nothing (or very little) about Chinese history and traditions so please excuse any inaccuracies in this area. I wrote this story purely as an outpouring of my imagination so I have not done much research for it.

_The dinner_

"Dinner would be great."

"Well it's settled then", said Fa Zhou. "Captain, if you stay for dinner, you don't have time to ride back tonight so you might as well stay the night. Mulan, why don't you show the Captain to our guest quarters?"

Shang bowed his assent and followed Mulan to the west wing. He felt extremely awkward. He found himself unsure of how to relate to Mulan now that he knew she was a woman. He was so used to treating her like one of the men. And he knew that she could fight and think like a man too. He certainly couldn't treat her like those silly painted-dolls who giggled behind their fans at him. She was too…

"Here we are", Mulan's soft tones pierced his thoughts like an arrow.

She slid open the doors revealing a comfortably sized room adorned with simple, practical furniture. In the centre was a large bed. A small table and stool were neatly placed in the far corner, while a wardrobe with ornately carved doors leaned against the far wall.

"Make yourself comfortable while I get you some bed linen", Mulan said with a smile. She seemed quite at ease.

"Thanks", mumbled Shang as he entered the room. He placed his helmet on the table and sat down. Should he remove his armour? After all, they were just having a small meal. _I was probably silly to wear the armour anyway_, he thought to himself._ Who was I trying to impress?_ "_Mulan_" came the faint answer from a faraway corner of his mind. He began to remove the pieces of his armour and hang them in the closet.

_Rap. Rap. Rap._

"Eerrr… just a minute!" Shang called out. It would be quite awkward for someone to walk on him halfway through removing his armour, even though he wasn't completely undressed. He quickly whipped the rest of it off, throwing them on the bed and checked that he was neat. "Eerrrr… you can come in now".

The door opened revealing Mulan with bed linen in her arms.

"Um, can you move your armour so I can make the bed?" asked Mulan with a cheeky smile.

"Oh! Sorry…" Shang flushed. Snatching up the offending pieces of armour he stuffed them quickly into the wardrobe, but when he tried to close the doors, the pieces kept spilling out. He fumbled with them a few times, grabbing them again and again and throwing them in but still something would bounce out before he could close the door. The captain of China's finest troops had suddenly become very clumsy.

"Here let me help you." And Mulan was there, hanging the armour neatly on the hangers before closing the doors. She smiled at him with a gleam in her eye. He smiled awkwardly at her and looked away. His heart had begun to beat uncomfortably fast when she looked at him.

"What's wrong, Shang?" inquired Mulan, half-teasing. "Are you afraid of me now?"

"Eerrr… I guess… umm… I'm just not sure… how I should treat you. As a man or as a women…" Shang trailed off, searching for words.

Mulan laughed and began to make the bed. "Just treat me the same as you did before. I'm the same person that you knew. Ping was just Mulan in a man's dress."

"So… you won't be offended if I don't treat you the way men are supposed to treat girls?" Shang asked tentatively.

"Well, I'm not really like other girls…" sighed Mulan, remembering her test at the matchmakers.

Shang smiled, "That's true", he said. She was certainly like no other girl he had ever met. Although, it did not make her any less feminine. As they talked she deftly shook out the clean sheets and blankets, tucking everything neatly around the mattress and arranging the pillows. Shang noticed a number of mannerisms that he had noticed with Ping. _They really are the same person_, he thought to himself.

"Dinner is at 6," she informed him when she had finished. "Don't be late!" this with a grin.

Shang watched her walk away. She had a very feminine walk. How had he not noticed that with Ping? And her facial features were far from masculine… Truly it will be very hard to treat her the same as he did Ping. He could not ignore the fact that she was a woman. And for some reason, her presence alone was enough to make it difficult for him to breathe. _What is wrong with me? I didn't even feel this nervous when we faced the entire Hun army_!

He was still deep in thought when the dinner gong rang. Mulan was waiting for him outside his door to show him the way. Dinner was another awkward affair. Fa Zhou asked a number of questions about the war, which Shang did his best to answer. But no matter how he tried to focus on his host, his eyes kept wandering to Mulan. Watching her eat. Watching her pour the tea. She had an unusual flush on her cheeks, probably from having the hot teapot so close to her. He could not believe that for so long he had thought this person was a man! Of course, she wasn't exactly as neat as most women were either. Fa Li and Grandma Fa were able to eat neatly without losing a single grain of rice from their bowls. Mulan, on the other hand, often had sauce on her face and rice dropping from her bowl to the table. He smiled inwardly. It was really quite endearing.

Mulan, however, was furious with herself. She had managed to act calm and normal around Shang earlier, even though her stomach was filled with butterflies and she could barely breathe. Now however, feeling his gaze on her she couldn't stop making a mess! She knew she was red and the more she thought about it the more red she became. She kept her eyes downcast for she knew that if her eyes met his she would blush even more.


	2. In the garden

_In the garden_

After dinner, Mulan began to clear the dishes for washing, as was her duty, but her father stopped her. "Mulan", he said in his gentle voice, "why don't you let your mother worry about the dishes tonight. You should take our guest and show him our garden. It's beautiful in the moonlight."

"Baba, I'm sure he's too tired for that tonight…"

"No, I'm fine", said Shang with a smile. "I would love to see the garden."

They walked out in silence. Neither of them knew what to say. At the moon gate, Shang instinctively stepped back and motioned Mulan to go first. She did so with a shy smile and headed for the bridge. Shang lowered his head to step through the gate. As he straightened up, he was struck by the loveliness of the landscape. The gently sloping green was flooded with moonlight. The stream trickled softly by, the moonlight flickering on the waves. Mulan was already halfway across the bridge. Wondering what was keeping him, she turned slowly, and looked back at him shyly. Shang couldn't move. He was afraid that if he did, the night would dissolve away and he would lose that image forever. He wanted time to stop. He wanted to gaze at this picture forever – Mulan on the bridge, her silky hair glinting in the moonlight, her silhouette outlined against the grassy slope.

"Shang? What are you doing?" Mulan asked softly. She also felt the weight of the moment but was unsure why. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so shy. This was man she had kicked in the face! All of a sudden she found his company intimidating.

Shang, roused from his reverie, coughed softly. " *ahem* Nothing. Your garden is very beautiful. I just wasn't expecting it, I guess…" He strode towards her, trying to collect his thoughts. "So… umm… Did your… father build this bridge?" It was the first thing that came to his mind.

"No, my great-grandfather did." Mulan still spoke softly, almost a whisper. "He was a stonemason. He also built the bench under the magnolia tree and the steps leading to the temple. And before I left, there was also a stone dragon by the stream but when I came back it was gone."

Mulan sighed. She had loved that stone dragon. She had played on it as a child and even as an adult she would sit there to reflect. She was sitting on that dragon when she made the fateful decision to take her father's place in the army. When she asked her parents about it they told her that the day she left they found it shattered in pieces. They had been afraid that it was a bad omen reflecting her fate, but since she had returned they had no explanation for its condition.

Shang was busy berating himself for his lame question. But it broke the tension and they began to chat easily about the history of the Fa family and then the Li family. They wandered up the path to the temple and then back down, winding up at the stone bench under the magnolia tree. They sat for a while, imbibing the stillness of the evening. The gentle lapping of the water seemed to lull them into silence.

Suddenly, Mulan turned to Shang.

"Why did you come here, Shang? Surely you could have gotten someone else to bring the helmet back. I'm sure you have more important things to do than riding across the countryside to return a piece of equipment." Her tone was curious, but slightly hesitant.

The question caught him off guard. "Well, I… eerrr… I guess I wanted to get to know you better…" With a deep breath, he collected himself. Glancing at Mulan with a smile he continued, "You intrigue me, Fa Mulan. I would never have considered the possibility of a woman going to war in her father's place. And the look in your eyes, the way you accepted your fate when I came at you with that sword. I've never seen such courage…" His voice trailed off as he relived the memory.

Mulan shuddered involuntarily as she also recalled the event. The look of sheer anger and betrayal in Shang's eyes had extinguished all hope that she would ever regain his approval. She had only just earned his trust when it was broken again by her deception. She had accepted her fate out of despair. Despair that she would ever honour her parents. Despair that she would ever be worthy of Shang.

"I'm sorry, Mulan." Shang had heard her shudder, realising that he had dredged up painful memories. "I can't imagine what you must have felt at that moment." He instinctively reached out to place his hand on her shoulder but withdrew it again with a pounding heart, remembering that she was a woman.

Mulan only sighed in response. She had not noticed his gesture.

"Why did you spare my life, Shang?" she asked finally.

"I guess… in my heart I knew it was the right thing to do. Tradition or not", he replied after some thought.

"So you didn't think I was a 'treacherous snake', like Chi Fu did?"

"Hmph, don't quote that old goat to me." Shang snorted with disgust. In calmer tones, "No, I didn't think you were a 'treacherous snake'… But I was angry that you lied to me", he admitted remorsefully, "I'm not sure why now. Why should you feel any obligation to me over your own father? Perhaps I was angry with myself for having been so easily deceived…" He was talking more to himself now. "I suppose you did break the law. But then I was haunted by the thought that if I were in your situation, I would have wanted to do the same thing but would probably have lacked the courage to defy tradition in that way."

"You had every right to be angry", said Mulan, her voice almost a whisper. "I would have been if I were in your shoes."

"I don't know", replied Shang doubtfully, "You put up with an awful lot from me in the first few weeks of training and yet you still reached out to me with encouragement and compassion. I'm sure you would have been far more forgiving and understanding than I was."

Realising that it was futile to object, Mulan said simply, "Well, either way, I'm glad I now have the chance to thank you." She turned to him with a smile. "You are a good man, Li Shang. I'm glad to have you as a friend."

"No… I'm not a good man", Shang murmured, he knew his shortcomings. "But I'm honoured to have you as a friend", he said with a smile.

"*ahem*". They both look up to find Fa Li standing at the moon gate. "I'm sorry to interrupt you two, but Mulan must get her beauty sleep. She must wake early to see the matchmaker in the morning. We have had many offers for the hand of China's heroine", she explained to Shang with a proud smile.

Shang had felt a sudden pang of disappointment but Mulan made a face causing Shang to laugh softly despite himself. It was the first time Mulan had heard Shang laugh and her heart skipped a beat at the sound.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "I thought girls liked the prospect of marriage."

"Yeah, well, the matchmaker doesn't really conjure up good memories for me", she said in reply.

Shang's curiosity was piqued. "Why?" he asked.

It's a long story", she replied with a sigh. "I'll tell you some other time."

Shang chuckled. "Alright, I can't wait."

They both rose from their seats and followed Fa Li back to the house. Bidding each other good night, they went to their separate bedchambers. Shang's light-hearted exchange with Mulan about the matchmaker hid his inner disappointment and fear. Was he too late? The memory of Mulan on the bridge, her feminine figure outlined in the moonlight and the shy look on her face made him catch his breath. He knew he wanted her for his own. But his fear was not only for himself. Who had those offers come from? Were they honourable men who would treat Mulan fairly? Or were they men who only wanted her as a trophy? Either way, they would probably still expect the usual demure, passively submissive young woman that Chinese wives were supposed to be. Mulan was so much more than that. He could not allow her to be thrown away in such a fashion. He must act quickly.


	3. The next day

_The next day_

Mulan had had a restless night. Her mind was in turmoil, a flurry of thoughts buzzing around like bees in spring. _Why was Shang here? Does he want to marry me? Why else would he want to get to know me better? But he didn't seem to care when Mama mentioned the matchmaker! What is he doing here then? He can't just want to be friends. Men and women don't just become friends. I'm sure my future husband would not allow me to continue a friendship with him. So why start a friendship if it can't continue? Why on earth is he here?_

She tossed fitfully in frustration. Suddenly she noticed that the sky was faintly pink with the sunrise. She had been tossing and turning all night, so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't seen the light seeping dimly into her room. Sighing, she put her hands under her back and pushed herself up into a stretch. _I might as well get up then_, she groaned, _So much for beauty sleep._

Slowly, she began to change into her day clothes. She might as well pray to the ancestors for a good outcome at the matchmaker's. _Preferably, no matches_, she thought to herself.

She padded softly through the house, careful not to wake her sleeping parents. She passed Little Brother snoring happily away, every now and then a muffled bark escaping his lips. As she passed through the moon gate, a movement in the distance caught her eye. Looking out, her jaw dropped. It was Shang! He was practising his kung fu, shirtless of course, on the grass near the magnolia tree. The sweat on his body glistened in the light of the rising sun. His movements were so graceful, so hypnotic. _That man never rests!_ she thought. After a few moments, she collected herself. She shouldn't be watching this! She stepped back. A twig snapped. He looked up at the sound and saw her. Their eyes met and immediately both looked away in embarrassment. Mulan felt the colour rising in her cheeks. She hurriedly turned and headed back to the house.

"Hey wait!" And Shang, fully clothed, was at her elbow. _Boy, that was fast!_ But she had no time to think before Shang spoke again.

"I didn't know you had to get up _this_ early for the matchmaker", he said, trying to sound casual.

"I… errr… was going to… uhhh… I have some… uhh… some chores to do before I go", she finally muttered. She was concentrating on looking down, hoping that her hair would hide her crimson cheeks.

"Ok, want some help?" he offered, smiling to himself. Her obvious discomfit somehow put him at ease.

"Oh! Uhh… It's ok. I can manage", she said, glancing up momentarily with an attempted smile. Looking down again she said, "Guests here don't do chores."

"That's ok, I want to help", he persisted. He hadn't seen this side of Mulan before. Something about it was magnetic. He felt a sudden urge to gather her in his arms and bury his nose in her hair. But he resisted. Besides, she was already moving away.

"Alright, umm… this way", still looking at the ground, she walked quickly in the direction of the barn. She could see that he wasn't going to give in so there was nothing she could do but get it all over and done with. As she walked, she raised her face to the sky, hoping the breeze would cool her burning face.

At the barn, Shang insisted on taking the huge bag of grain from her. He used her wound as an excuse but mainly he just wanted to peek at her still downcast face. As he did so, he caught a whiff of her hair and his whole body went numb. Outwardly, though, he managed to retain his composure. Mulan, meanwhile, unaware of the effect she was having on Shang, was trying to get everything done as quickly as possible so she could escape to her room. She showed Shang where to scatter the grain while she hastily snatched up the eggs from under the sleepy hens, breaking three of them in the process. Before the hens had fully woken they were gone.

"All done!" Mulan announced with relief. "Now, I have to go get dressed. See you later!" But Shang caught her arm as she turned.

"Hey, what's the hurry? Your parents aren't even up yet!" he said, trying to ignore the bolt of electricity that travelled up his arm and through his body when his hand touched her skin. "Come on, let's go for a walk. Maybe it'll make you feel calmer. You seem nervous about your meeting with the matchmaker…"

"No, it's alright… I umm… It takes time to… uhh… Alright", she agreed finally, unable to think of any excuses. Her embarrassment began to fade after he attributed her behaviour to the matchmaker. He had let go of her but the sensation of warm pressure from his fingers lingered on her skin.

They meandered back up the path to the stone bench.

"So, why are you up so early? You don't seem eager to see the matchmaker", Shang asked when they had reached the bench.

"Well… I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about… the last time I went", she said with a sigh. It wasn't entirely untrue. Those thoughts had crossed her mind, they just weren't the primary reason for her insomnia. "What about you", she said, turning the question onto Shang. "Do you always practise your kung fu before sunrise?"

He laughed, self-consciously. "No, I was also thinking about… things. I find the rhythm of kung fu quite helpful in settling my thoughts when I don't know what to do."

"Oh." Mulan wanted to ask what he had been thinking about but he obviously didn't want to share so she suppressed her curiosity.

Shang spoke again. "So tell me about the last time you went to the matchmaker", he said with a teasing smile.

_Oh great_, Mulan thought, _Now he's really going to think I'm an idiot!_

"Come on", he coaxed, "It can't have been worse than your first few weeks in the army!"

Mulan laughed. Her shoulders relaxed a little.

"I suppose. But no one really knew me in the army. What happened at the matchmakers disgraced me in front of my whole village!" She paused, unsure how to proceed.

Shang was looking at her expectantly, a bemused smile on his lips.

"Ok, I'll tell you", she conceded finally, "But you can't look at me while I do! It's too embarrassing."

Shang raised an eyebrow but turned obediently away.

With a deep breath, Mulan began to relate the whole tale. When she mentioned the cricket in the tea cup she saw his shoulders suddenly tense. _What is he thinking?_ She wondered to herself. But she continued bravely on, noticing as she did so that his shoulders were becoming more and more tense. Towards the end of the story, he seemed to be shaking._ What's going on?_ Finally, as she related the matchmaker's final rant, he exploded… into laughter.

Mulan leapt to her feet. "Do you find my disgrace funny?!" she demanded, her hands on her hips.

He looked up at her, tears streaming from his eyes. "Come on, Mulan", he said between gasps, "It's pretty funny…"

"I dishonoured my family in front of the whole village. I fail to see how that is so funny." She crossed her arms angrily and turned her back on him.

He finally regained his composure, reached out and pulled her back to the seat. "Come on," he said soothingly. "Since then you've brought more honour to your family than any other woman can ever do. Can't you look back on that event and laugh at it now?" He looked at her with dancing eyes, his lips still twitching with mirth.

"But I failed", she said softly, looking at her feet. "I failed my parents and myself. I'll never be the kind of bride that men truly want. All these offers came only because I was honoured by the Emperor. Not because I'll be a good wife…"

"Oh come on", Shang said, trying to reason with her. "Making one mistake doesn't make you a failure. Besides, if it wasn't for the cricket you probably would have been fine. _You should blame your grandmother._" He had cupped his mouth with his hand and whispered the last sentence with a surreptitious chuckle.

Mulan laughed at that. "I suppose…" she assented. "So you really don't think I'm a failure…" Somehow it was important to have his approval.

"Of course not!" Shang exclaimed. "How could I? You saved my life, the life of the emperor and our whole country! You have done more than any woman or man has done in our generation. If you can do all these things, I'm sure you can be a good wife to the right man. Of all the men, err… people, I trained, I am the most proud of you", he asserted. "Any man would be lucky to have you for a wife", he concluded, his tone slightly subdued.

_What about you?_ Mulan thought. "Thanks, Shang", she said, "That means a lot to me." She smiled at him and stood up. "Well, I really should go and get ready now." Grandma Fa was beckoning from the window with a characteristic grin on her face.

Shang stood up as well. "Alright. Don't worry, you'll be fine", he smiled at her reassuringly.

"Thanks." With a slight bow, she turned and walked back into the house.

Shang watched her, admiring her graceful movements. When he saw her silhouette against her window, he walked briskly towards the house.


	4. The talk

_The talk_

"Honourable Fa Zhou", Shang bowed to his host who was sitting at the table eating his breakfast. "There is an urgent matter which I wish to discuss with you and your wife. Is it possible to speak to you now?"

"Certainly, Captain Li", said Fa Zhou calmly, "Please take a seat while I summon my wife."

"Thank you, sir." Shang sat. He felt his nerves beginning to take over. His hands were shaking. Under the table, he rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. While Fa Zhou was out of the room, he took several deep breaths and managed to stop the shaking.

Fa Zhou returned with Fa Li and both sat at the table.

"Now, Captain Li", said Fa Zhou, "What is it you would like to say to us?"

"Honourable Fa Zhou and Mrs Fa", Shang began, "I understand that you have received many offers for Mulan's hand in marriage."

"Yes, that is correct." Fa Zhou nodded.

Shang continued, his heart pounding in his ears, "I know this is quite untraditional, but I would like to make an offer myself to make Mulan my wife."

"Well, young man", said Fa Zhou unfazed, "Why should I give Mulan to you over the others? The life of a soldier's wife is hard. There will be long stretches of time when you will be away at war and she will be left alone. Many of these other offers come from men who can make her far more comfortable than you can."

"Yes, you are right, sir", said Shang humbly. "However, I have considered that already. I am quite willing to sell my land and move here to this village, if you give your consent."

Fa Zhou was surprised. "My boy," he said, "That is quite a sacrifice! Have you considered it well?"

"Yes, sir, I believe I have", Shang asserted quietly. "There is nothing left for me back home. My mother died when I was young and I am an only child. I went into training for the army at a young age. I have no ties there now that my father has died. Also," he continued, "Mulan is a very unusual girl. I feel sure that no other man will understand her as I do. They will try to suppress her unique qualities and force her to conform to the common image of a 'perfect woman'. I know she can never be happy in that situation. I would never do that to her. I am certain I can make her happy", he concluded at last.

"You are very persuasive, Captain Li", said Fa Zhou mildly. "Very well, I will consider your offer. However, I must also consider the other offers as well. I shall give you my answer in a week."

"Thank you, sir. I am honoured that you would consider me worthy of your daughter", said Shang with a bow. "However, may I ask one last favour?"

"Certainly. What is it?"

"Please do not mention this to Mulan. If you give your consent to me, I would like to ask her myself. I do not want her to feel forced into a marriage with anyone that she is not comfortable with." Shang trembled inwardly at his boldness, but he was certain he was right.

"This is highly unusual", said Fa Zhou, a little doubtfully. "But I suppose there is no harm in it", he concluded. "Very well, we will not mention anything to Mulan. I shall contact you in a week with my answer and then you may act according to your conscience."

"Thank you, sir", said Shang gratefully. "I look forward to your answer in a week."

Shang rose, bowed to his hosts and left the room. Heading back to his chambers, he began to ready his things for departure. There were many affairs he must get in order in the week before hearing back from Fa Zhou.


	5. Waiting

_Waiting…_

Shang was pacing up and down in his room. It had been a week and he still hadn't heard from Fa Zhou. He wondered what could be wrong. Suppose the messenger had gotten lost! Or had gone to the wrong Li family! Would it be too presumptuous of him to ride back again to request his answer?

The week had been difficult for him. Although he had a number of administrative details to straighten out in regards to his inheritance, this had not prevented him from being haunted by images of Mulan. He could barely sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. Mulan on the bridge. Her graceful walk. The way she played with her hair absentmindedly when she was deep in thought. Her smile. Her laugh. Every ounce of his being ached to be with her. But he knew he must be patient.

Suddenly, there was a rap on the door. "A message for Captain Li Shang!" the voice on the other side of the door announced. Shang threw open the door and snatched the note. It was from Fa Zhou. His heart pounded in his ears and his hands trembled as he tore open the thin paper. _Please give us another week_, he read. Shang's heart sank. With a groan he collapsed back into his chair and buried his face in his hands. How could he stand another week of this torture. But there was nothing for him to do but wait…

Meanwhile, Mulan was also waiting in suspense-filled anticipation. She knew her parents were going to decide a week after her meeting with the matchmaker. Unfortunately for her, unlike Shang, she had no duties to occupy her mind. Her wound prevented her from doing many of her old chores. Out of sheer boredom, she resorted to poring over the documents and books in her father's library. Now that she had been to war, reading his old war manuscripts held a certain fascination for her. War strategy and tactics became a topic of interest. However, this only brought back memories of her time in the army and thoughts of Shang.

She was still confused about his visit. A tiny part of her had hoped that he had come to arrange a marriage with the local matchmaker but there was no mention of it when they had gone to see her. The only people that had made offers were rich old men who wanted a famous concubine. Even she could see that. She grimaced at the thought of marrying any of them. She hoped against hope that her parents would reject them all, but she knew the chances of that were slim. She was getting old. She was already 18. Though she knew her parents loved her and would do their best for her they would be getting desperate by now. Mulan sighed. She'll probably end up marrying that old lecher on the other side of the village. _Please great ancestors_, she prayed, _please send someone else_…

At dinner that night, Mulan picked at her food. Her appetite had been slowly waning over the past week. She was not handling the suspense well. Fa Zhou shook his head as he watched her. He knew the anxiety she was feeling. Although she often had a scroll with her, rather than actually being read, it was more often on her lap, her eyes staring dejectedly into space. He had hoped to make a quick decision but the background checks he was running on her suitors was taking longer than expected. Particularly those on Shang. Although Fa Zhou and Fa Li were both convinced of his sincerity and affection for Mulan, they had still wanted to ensure that he was responsible and reliable. So Fa Zhou had sent word to his old military friend, General Ming Tao, who had been involved in Shang's education at the Military Academy. But the General was a busy man and rarely had time for correspondence. Fa Zhou sighed, if the General took much longer, Mulan would waste away before any wedding could take place.

Later that night, Fa Zhou caught sight of Mulan sitting on the stone bench by the stream. He hobbled over to her and sat down. Mulan looked up momentarily with a wan smile but remained silent. Fa Zhou took a deep breath.

"So… Captain Li seems like a nice young man", he commented mildly.

"Yes, Baba", said Mulan, smiling sadly to herself. She let out a loud sigh.

Fa Zhou pressed on, "What was he like as a Captain? Surely he wasn't as relaxed as he was when he was here last week."

"No", she replied, "He was very stern and always serious. Last week was the first time I'd heard him laugh." An involuntary smile came to her lips at the recollection of his laugh.

Fa Zhou saw the smile and wanted to keep her talking. "Was he always as nice to you as he is now?"

"Ha!" the laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "No, he hated me at the beginning. I couldn't do anything right."

She related the first few weeks of her time at Wu Zhong. How, despite her best efforts, Shang thought she was a trouble maker and a cheat. How he had thought her so useless that he actually sent her home. How things only began to improve after she climbed the pole and retrieved the arrow.

Fa Zhou was surprised to hear this. Up until this point they had only really discussed the battles she had been involved in. The only interaction with Shang that was mentioned was the time when she was revealed. He had thought that Shang probably took no notice of Mulan, or Ping rather, until her brilliant move in the Tung Shao Pass.

"Did he ever treat you unfairly at the beginning?" Fa Zhou probed.

"No", answered Mulan. "He did not single me out unfairly. And he was never overly harsh in his punishments. He just thought I was hopeless. He probably thought that it was a waste of effort trying to train someone like me." She sighed at the recollection, remembering how much she had wanted to please him. The look he had given her when he took the weights from her shoulders on that mountain run made her writhe inside with shame.

"Well, at least he was willing to admit that he was wrong in the end", Fa Zhou remarked. "That is an important trait in a man."

"Yes, he is a good man. He's the best man I've ever known", Mulan agreed in subdued tones. "Except you of course, Baba." She added with a momentary return of her old playful smile.

Fa Zhou merely smiled in reply.

"It is getting late, daughter", he said after a few minutes of silence. "It is time for you to rest."

Mulan nodded and obediently returned to the house.

Fa Zhou remained on the bench and continued to reflect on their conversation. He had gained what he wanted – to know that Shang would be fair to subordinates and even to those for whom he had little respect boded well for anyone he would take as his wife. Of course, it could all have been coloured by Mulan's obvious affection for her commander. But Fa Zhou felt that this was in keeping with his impression of Shang from their interaction the previous week. He only wished that Tao would hurry up and reply. Fa Zhou sighed. For Mulan's sake, he could not wait much longer. He finally concluded that if he had not received a reply in 3 more days, he would travel to the Imperial City and speak to Ming Tao in person.

Fortunately for Fa Zhou, there was no need for him to attempt travelling to the Imperial City as he received a reply the following morning. The note told him everything he had hoped to hear. Shang was the favourite amongst all the staff at the Academy for his reliability, discipline and dedication. He had excelled not only in his work, but also in his ability to care for those under his charge.

Fa Zhou immediately sent word to Shang. He knew it would take a few days for the message to reach Shang and it would then take another couple of days for Shang to return to speak to Mulan. Fa Zhou hoped against hope that Mulan would be able to hold on for that time.

Mulan, in the meantime, had taken to practising her kung fu to try to relieve her stress. Her wound was completely healed by now and she didn't want to lose her skills. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to know how to defend herself, she reasoned.

The only problem was that it always brought a picture of Shang before her, memories of his fluid movements, of him correcting her stance and moving her arms and legs into the proper positions. She fought an inner war with herself every time. Wanting to indulge in memories of Shang and trying to banish them at the same time for the pain they caused her. _What's the use in thinking about him when I'm going to marry someone else anyway?,_ she tried to reason with herself. But it was no use. She just couldn't help it. She hated herself for her weakness. Eventually, she could manage to clear her mind as she went thought the motions, but as soon as she had finished she would lay down on the grass and dream about Shang, revelling in her guilty pleasure and feeling disgusted with herself for it. Usually she would be interrupted by her mother telling her to go inside before she turned brown and then no man would want her, not even the poor old ones. Mulan would sigh to herself, thinking bitterly, _The only man I want for my husband doesn't want me anyway so who cares if I'm brown?_ But nevertheless, she would drag herself to her feet and trudge back into the house.


	6. On the grass

_On the grass_

Mulan was lying on the grass again. She had just finished another of her kung fu sessions. Sprawled in the dappled shade of the magnolia tree, she closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh, fragrant air. She listened to the tinkling of the stream and felt the warm breeze brush against her cheeks. In vain she tried to concentrate on the sounds and scents around her but no matter how hard she tried, images of Shang would stubbornly push through. With a sigh she gave in and indulged in yet another daydream. She imagined him sitting beside her, brushing away the strands of hair that kept wafting over her face with the breeze. She saw him looking at her, a warm glow in his eyes, a smile on his lips. She heard him calling her name, his voice echoing through her mind. _Mulan… Mulan… Mulan…_

"Mulan?"

Her eyes snapped open. Shang was there! He was standing over her, looking at her quizzically, an amused smile on his lips. She sat bolt upright, shaking the fog from her head.

"Were you having a nap?" he enquired as he sat beside her on the grass.

"No, I was… umm", she felt her face go red at the thought of what she was actually doing. "Why don't we go inside? It's getting hot out here." _At least inside it'll be harder for him to see that I'm blushing,_ she thought.

"No, no. It's nice out here."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to get sunburnt. It's really much nicer inside", Mulan scrambled to her feet, desperately trying to hide her face from Shang. _Why can't I stop blushing when he's around?_

"Sunburnt? Don't be silly. Come on, sit back down, Mulan. I have something to say to you." He grabbed her arm and sat her down. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. The mention of what he had to say suddenly took away his composure. "See? It's nice out here", he said as he tried to collect his thoughts.

"Uh huh." Mulan had sat down beside Shang, hugging her knees against her chest. Leaning her chin on her knees she subtly shook her hair forward until it hid her face. "So, uh… what was it you wanted to say?" Her heart started pounding as she asked. She knew what she wanted to hear but she had had her hopes dashed before…

Shang coughed uncomfortably. "Well… uh… well… *ahem* I understand your parents are about to arrange a match for you", he began, staring at the ground. He was afraid to look up in case the sight of her took away all power of speech.

"Yes, that's right", now her whole body was pulsing with adrenaline.

"Well… uh…", continued Shang, still staring at the ground. "I just wanted to know if… well… I guess I was wondering… umm… how you would feel if the match was with… with me."

Mulan froze. Did she hear right? Was it really true? She was afraid to move in case it was only an illusion that would dissipate at any second.

_Why hasn't she said anything?_ Shang glanced in her direction, hoping to get some idea of what she was thinking, but all he could see was a curtain of hair.

"Of course, i-if you don't want to, I won't force you… I just wanted to know how you would feel…" he rambled on uncertainly.

At this, Mulan straightened. She peeked at him as her hair fell back. He was looking at her with expectation and torment mingled in his eyes. She started to smile and he visibly relaxed.

"Really?" she asked shyly looking down again, there was still some doubt lingering in her mind.

"Really", he answered, beginning to smile. "So what do you say?"

"That sounds… nice", she said softly, her eyes still downcast.

Relief washed over Shang like a wave.

"Really?" he asked, inching slightly closer to her. "You're sure you're happy to marry me? I want you to be sure…"

"I'm pretty sure", still softly. She couldn't stop smiling now. She glanced at up, saw that he was also smiling, and then looked down again. She longed to keep looking at him but she suddenly felt overwhelmed by shyness.

If Shang had any doubts left, that glance swept them away. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her face. He longed to kiss her but he knew that wasn't proper – they weren't married, yet. He repositioned himself next to her, placing his arm around her and resting his hand on the grass behind her back. Mulan felt the warmth of his body against hers. She leant back against him, her arms still hugging her knees, and dropped her head gently on his shoulder. He could barely contain himself, the scent of her hair filled his nostrils and washed over his body. It took all his control not to pull her closer. All of a sudden, he could not wait until the wedding day.

"I love you, Mulan", he whispered tenderly.

"I love you too, Shang", she whispered back.


	7. At last

_At last_

Fortunately for Shang and Mulan, the luckiest day for their wedding according to their birthdates was only two weeks after his proposal. It did not take them long to get over their shyness. Soon they were teasing each other mercilessly at almost every opportunity. It took Fa Zhou and Fa Li some time to get used to it, both of them being such gentle, reserved souls. Grandma Fa on the other hand was enjoying it immensely.

Shang still had to travel back and forth a couple of times to settle affairs at his home. He was able to find a buyer for his property fairly quickly as it was a greatly prized piece of land. He also managed to find a suitable place in Mulan's village and settled the deal, to his relief, the day before the wedding.

The wedding itself went relatively smoothly. The tea ceremony being interrupted by Little Brother chasing the chickens through the living room and Mulan tripping over her dress as she stepped out of the carriage were but minor hiccups in a day filled with joy.

When the whirlwind finally ended, Mulan and Shang found themselves in the peace and quiet of their new home. Shang insisted on wiping off all the make-up that Mulan had been required to wear for the occasion. He moistened a sponge with warm water and caressed her face with it.

"There's my Mulan", he whispered tenderly as the last vestige of powder disappeared.

Mulan met his gaze smiling. At last, someone loved her for who she was. Shang returned her smile as he brushed some stray strands of hair from her face. Leaning down, he kissed his new bride. He tightened his grip on her as she melted in his embrace. They belonged to each other now and nothing was going to separate them.


End file.
